Is it cool to smash guitars?

Skel · #1 10-16-2007, 08:25 PM

I can be really lazy or undisciplined at taking care of other things, but when it comes to my gear I just find a way to take good care of it. I'm not anal about it, just reasonable.

It's been a while since I've even seen anybody not take good care of their instruments. In fact I've never seen anybody not take good care of their gear.

But Pete Townshend. I have to say I never thought it was cool to smash guitars. I was offended by that.

Nappa · #2 10-16-2007, 08:31 PM

If you are a millionaire then then i would understand, but a musician? A gimmick I say. I do believe that if the person is skilled enough they should be able to play a cheapo very well and since cheapo are cheapo well they can easily be replaced.

superbassman2000 · #3 10-16-2007, 08:36 PM

i think it depends...if it is a heat of the moment thing, I can understand it, but if its pretty obvious that they are doing it just because they think its the cool thing to do, then it's not.

Skel · #4 10-16-2007, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by superbassman2000

i think it depends...if it is a heat of the moment thing, I can understand it, but if its pretty obvious that they are doing it just because they think its the cool thing to do, then it's not.

Oh yea. The "heat of the moment" smashing would be amazing because it just illustrates how much emotion is compressed in your brain and how vulnerable you are. It's the "planned" smashing I'm talking about.

erochelle77 · #5 10-16-2007, 08:49 PM

88persuader · #6 10-16-2007, 08:51 PM

IMO the answer is NO! It's not cool to smash instruments. But then again I never thought it was cool when the Who or Hendrix did it either. I think instruments should be PLAYED ... not sacrificed. I think music is more then just another form of aggression. If you HAVE to break something to entertain people I worry about your crowd. Music isn't pro wrestling! Pete and Jimmy were both awesome musicians (understatement) ... why they thought KILLING their guitars was entertainment I'll never know. And the kicker is they were playing to the PEACE and LOVE generation!!

Nappa · #7 10-16-2007, 08:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skel

I can be really lazy or undisciplined at taking care of other things, but when it comes to my gear I just find a way to take good care of it. I'm not anal about it, just reasonable.

It's been a while since I've even seen anybody not take good care of their instruments. In fact I've never seen anybody not take good care of their gear.

But Pete Townhend. I have to say I never thought it was cool to smash guitars. I was offended by that.

He destroys his amp in this one.

peaveyuser · #8 10-16-2007, 09:02 PM

It got kinda old.

jomahu · #9 10-16-2007, 09:09 PM

no, not at all.

smashing guitars and other instruments is like a food fight - wasteful, inconsiderate, self-indulgent. i don't care what emotions people have...if that instrument was your only one, and the thing that put food on your table and a roof over your head, then i doubt anyone would be smashing a guitar at any time because they were 'in a mood.'

i always found it funny and hypocritical that folks like pearl jam would smash their guitars, then turn around a tell people to save the environment. like their $1000 guitar wasn't part of a tree that got cut down for their self-indulgence.

Skel · #10 10-17-2007, 07:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jomahu

no, not at all.

smashing guitars and other instruments is like a food fight - wasteful, inconsiderate, self-indulgent. i don't care what emotions people have...if that instrument was your only one, and the thing that put food on your table and a roof over your head, then i doubt anyone would be smashing a guitar at any time because they were 'in a mood.'

i always found it funny and hypocritical that folks like pearl jam would smash their guitars, then turn around a tell people to save the environment. like their $1000 guitar wasn't part of a tree that got cut down for their self-indulgence.

That's terrible. I didn't know Pearl Jam even did this. And to copy of all things, smashing guitars? It's pathetic that they think their followers want this. I would always just think "imagine how much work went into making that Les Paul. The people involved, the person who did something twice because it wasn't right the first time, etc". Then some moron smashes it for entertainment value.

roonjuice · #11 10-17-2007, 07:19 AM

if u want to smash something, smash your personal best/ others expectations. Not a thing of beauty

Vandelay · #12 10-17-2007, 07:24 AM

Yeah, smashing guitars is pretty passé. Townshend got away with it because it was the 60s and the whole teenage rebellion thing was still fresh, but I wouldn't want to see him do it nowadays.

Although I'll admit that I liked the twist that Garth Brooks used to do with it -- he and his guitarist would smash two acoustic guitars into each other.

I'll also admit that I like this Annie Leibovitz photo of Townshend after a gig:

http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/...pete_townshend

Skel · #13 10-17-2007, 07:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vandelay

Yeah, smashing guitars is pretty passé. Townshend got away with it because it was the 60s and the whole teenage rebellion thing was still fresh, but I wouldn't want to see him do it nowadays.

Although I'll admit that I liked the twist that Garth Brooks used to do with it -- he and his guitarist would smash two acoustic guitars into each other.

I'll also admit that I like this Annie Leibovitz photo of Townshend after a gig:

http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/...pete_townshend

Yea the pic is pretty cool. Honesty, with Townshend, I haven't forgotten that story about him being a pedophile either. Hopefully it's just not true.

sarcastro83 · #14 10-17-2007, 08:21 AM

Smashing guitars a la Townsend isn't cool.

Taking a Tommy Gun to your gold records a la The Ox... that's pretty cool...

Wesley R · #15 10-17-2007, 08:59 AM

Wesley R.

BellBottomBlues · #16 10-17-2007, 02:03 PM

I've done it before and its fun to do. However I only smash guitars on special occasions such as the final performance of a band.

However I used to work with a guitar player who used to buy used squier's and upgraded the pups. He used strats so he simply got the squier version of whatever guitar he was using at the end of the set. Then he'd smash it to pieces. Afterwards he'd grab what was left of it and bring it home to repair it or use the parts from it fix another squier. He keeps telling me he's saving all these broken bits of wood for an art project...

Baryonyx · #17 10-17-2007, 03:25 PM

No, it's about as cool as Pete Townsend, the big paedo that he is.

Fassa Albrecht · #18 10-17-2007, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris2112

No, it's about as cool as Pete Townsend, the big paedo that he is.

Hey Pete Townsend is cool!

Nappa · #19 10-17-2007, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BellBottomBlues

I've done it before and its fun to do. However I only smash guitars on special occasions such as the final performance of a band.

However I used to work with a guitar player who used to buy used squier's and upgraded the pups. He used strats so he simply got the squier version of whatever guitar he was using at the end of the set. Then he'd smash it to pieces. Afterwards he'd grab what was left of it and bring it home to repair it or use the parts from it fix another squier. He keeps telling me he's saving all these broken bits of wood for an art project...

Kirk Hammett and his guitars

He uses bolt-on necks just so he can bust it and fix it.

Baryonyx · #20 10-17-2007, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fassa Albrecht

Hey Pete Townsend is cool!

Oh right, and Gary Glitter is cool too?